WACO, Texas – Following one of its most successful seasons in program history, Newberry has been ranked 16th in the final Top 25 poll by the American Football Coaches Association.

The Wolves reached as high as No. 14 in the national poll before falling to Tuskegee by two points in the first round of the 2016 NCAA Division II Football Championship to close the season. Newberry has been ranked in five straight polls, entering the rankings during the final week of October following a 34-7 win at Brevard.

Newberry earned its second-highest final ranking in school history, four slots behind the 2006 team that advanced to the second round of the playoffs and won a school-record 11 games. This year's Wolves won the school's second outright and third overall South Atlantic Conference title, matched a school record with 10 consecutive wins, and earned the No. 2 seed in Super Region 2.

The Wolves were the second-highest ranked team among those that fell in the first round of the playoffs. Newberry joined No. 2 North Alabama, No. 13 UNC Pembroke, No. 17 North Greenville, and No. 20 Tuskegee as representatives of Super Region 2. Northwest Missouri State finished atop the poll for the third time in the last four seasons.